senator reid to do this, put a bill on the floor that makes sure that taxes on miedddle class families don' go up, that unemployment is still available for 2 million people on that lays the groundwork for additional deficit reduction on economic growth steps that we can take in the new year but let's not miss this deadline. >> as for the two senate leaders, they spoke shortly after the meeting on sounded a bit more hopeful than the president. >> i think it was a very positive meeting. there was not a lot of hilarity in the meeting. everyone knows how important it is. it's a very serious meeting on it took an extended period of time, as you all know waiting for us. >> mr. president, i would just add -- i share the view of the majority leader, we had a good meeting down at the white house. we are engaged in discussion, the majority leader on myself on the white house >> -- so i'm hopeful. >> the american people are watching what we do here. obviously their patience is already thin. this is deja vu all over again. america wonders why it is that in this town for some reason you can't get stuff